Warsaw-Wayne Fire Territory Chief Mike Wilson is pictured in this InkFreeNews file photo.

WARSAW – Warsaw-Wayne Fire Territory, which has gone eight years without an accelerant-sniffing dog, will soon have a new one.

Joe Fretz

Fire Chief Mike Wilson has received approval by Warsaw City Council to use money already available to cover expenses as Fire Marshal Joe Fretz continues to work with the dog and get certified with the program.

Fretz is expected to continue training with the new dog, Raven, for about another month.

Raven, a 3-year-old black lab, was gifted to the fire department from Jordan Detection K-9, from Central Indiana, and valued at about $11,000. The dog has already been trained but continues to work with Fretz as they progress with bonding and Fretz works toward certification.

All of Raven’s meals are based on a reward system for sniffing out accelerants.

Because of the repetitive training involved, Fretz will receive a half-hour of wage on Saturdays and Sundays as the training and bonding continue.

In exchange for finding an accelerant, Raven receives a few “Kibbles.” The routine happens two or three times a day, Wilson said.

“The dog is never fed out of a bowl. The only way that dog eats is out of the hand of its handler. Every day. For the life of the dog,” Wilson said.

Raven is already certified and has been working fire scenes in Central Indiana for a year. He’s now living with Fretz.

The previous accelerant-sniffing dog, Bailey, retired in 2012, but was made available with a contract through Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) and could be called for use outside of the county.

Raven will not be working outside of the county, Wilson said.